"After Everyone Else"

Leslie Hooton is the author of three novels. Her debut novel, Before Anyone Else, garnered a Zibby nomination. Her second novel, The Secret of Rainy Days, was a book club favorite. Her newly released third novel, After Everyone Else, is the sequel to Before Everyone Else.

Hooton applied the Page 69 Test to After Everyone Else and reported the following:

From page 69:

Without a warning. Charlotte's departure left my heart full and sad at the same time.... Most of us carry our own burdens without any idea of what is weighing others down.

"But you may see something that I miss," he said, and he started the footage. But then I saw it. I recognized Griffin's hoodies and his bracelets.

Turning to page 69 in After Everyone Else gives a pretty accurate description of the book. There are two distinctive passages.

First is a scene after Bailey has been arrested for the murder of her ex-husband. As she is reviewing footage of the murder scene she recognizes her husband and tries to keep that recognization from her attorney. This is a cornerstone of After Everyone Else which is about the lengths Bailey will go to in order to protect the one she loves.

The second one features Bailey and her grown daughter. You see that there is tension between the two of them which is indicative of their relationship in After Everyone Else.

I describe After Everyone Else as a "family drama, murder mystery mash-up," and this page has both.

Visit Leslie Hooton's website.

--Marshal Zeringue